Notre Dame and NBC Sports Group Renew Historic Football Partnership through 2025

By J T. Ramsay
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Apr 19, 2013

The University of Notre Dame and the NBC Sports Group have renewed their historic football partnership for 10 years, through the 2025 season. The renewal extends the landmark partnership to 35 consecutive seasons.

The extension begins with the 2016 season and the NBC Sports Group retains global media rights on all platforms to a minimum of seven Notre Dame home football games per year, with the vast majority airing on NBC. It also allows for games to air on NBC Sports Network. As it has since 2009, NBC Sports Digital will continue to live stream Fighting Irish home games. The partnership continues to be one of the most innovative in sports-media history, bringing Notre Dame Football to fans on more platforms than ever before.

In 2012, Notre Dame finished the regular season undefeated -- with a 12-0 record that included numerous dramatic finishes -- and ultimately earned their first-ever berth in the BCS Championship Game. The Fighting Irish averaged 4.4 million viewers and a 2.8 household rating for its seven games on NBC in 2012, up 69% and 67%, respectively, versus 2011. It was the best performance on NBC in seven years (2005, 5.2 million), while the 2.8 rating was the best since 2006 (3.0).

The 2013 Notre Dame Football season on NBC begins Saturday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. ET